A Little Girl
by Monkey Typewriter
Summary: A splicer has his morality and addiction battle when he comes across a Little Sister. Rated M for possible descriptions of gore and death, as well as cursing. IT GETS DARK. Complete, Sequel has begun, "A Twisted Man"
1. Daddy Takes a Tumble

Chapter 1

I needed more. My supply was low. I shouldn't have had so much. I already had a plasmid. Who needs Incinerate! and a Fortitude tonic. Doesn't even work. I still want the Adam. I still need it. I would still kill any man or woman in my way.

But would I kill a child? The thought stopped me. I stood in the glass hallway to the nearest Bathysphere. Would I?

I shrugged. Probably. For enough Adam. I hefted my big bloody pipe and looked at my reflection as I walked. My face hadn't grown boils or blemishes yet. It was still my face. I hadn't traded my body for Adam yet. Just my soul. Worth it. Maybe. Yeah, yeah. Worth it. While I looked, I saw a Big Guy taking down a horde of whackos while his little girl went on gathering, oblivious. Now that's bad parenting. I should know, I was always...

I was always WHAT? WHAT WAS I? YOU CAN'T DO THAT! YOU CAN'T! NOW YOU NEED TO TELL ME!

Fine, my brain relented. I was always late. I was never there. And I brought my family to this Hell-Hole. Did I? Yes, of course you did. No one, not even you or one of those Big Daddy's, I thought, watching him gore and spin a woman into a bloody pulp on his drill. What was I saying? Oh yeah, even he doesn't leave family behind.

I smiled as I hit myself in the head with the pipe happily. One hit... two hits... three- I remember! My family's still up there! It's been a year! I need to get back to them! I need... the veil in my head only lifted briefly. It closed as soon as I saw the Daddy in the pipe over there fall to one knee, still holding the mob at bay. For now.

I smiled wickedly. "Dad-dy's ta-king a tum-ble." I said with a savage song in my voice. I ran, my Adam addled mind taking the info needed from my still conscious brain, forcing me to run along a path that I used to frequent on the way to work. I was in the tube, just as three of the remaining four Splicers swarmed over the Daddy's helmet, the lights fading to an extremely dull red. I pulled out my revolver and started laughing hysterically, my pipe still clutched in my left hand.

I started singing, over and over, "Dad-dy's taken a tum-ble!" Until the other Splicers joined in. Even the one that was grasping the sister joined in, and when their reverie was at its peak, I killed them all. I still had two bullets left.

I walked towards the filfthy, yellow eyed girl, thinking about that slug... oh, I might keep it as a pet... or maybe eat it all now? Who cares! I care! Shut up, we have a guest! Well, have fun without me! No, don't do it! BANG! Goodbye!

I realized that I was rambling out loud. Hey. I'm just tired, I'm sure that's it. That's all it is. I'm just... just... I'm about to kill an innocent little girl. I backed up, stumbling into a wall as the little girl cowered, and i slid to a sitting position.

Crap, you again? Yeah, I'm here to try and take my mind back. Shut up! I'm. Staying in control. No, you're leaving Adam. See you later. I'll be back John!

So that was my name. John. Wow. How boring. Maybe I should eat half the slug and save the oth- NO! Stop it. You're not hurting that girl. You're not hurting that girl. You are NOT hurting her! Fine, jeez! I'll leave her alone and- No. If you leave her, she'll die. If I don't, I will! Well who's more important?

Stupid morality. It's almost as bad as sanity, or when you realize that all your insane ranting was out loud, accompanied by insane chuckles and random smashes in the head with a pipe. I got up, trying to figure out what to do with the little whimpering girl.


	2. In the Words of Wilkins

Chapter 2

I knelt down next to her. Oh man, I could literally smell the Adam on her. I wanted it so badly, I needed it. My grip tightened on the pipe for a split second. Where was it, head or stomach?! Where! WHERE! At least I didn't yell this. It was only a strong whisper.

Then I dropped it.

You just got a Fortitude tonic. You can handle it, you're fine, and so is the girl. If she doesn't stay that way, I'll kill you.

Holding yourself hostage? For shame.

Shut up. Just be nice.

I extended my hand toward her slowly, and it took almost all of my Fortitude to not grab her and bash away with a pipe. My hand was shaking. It was shaking bad. Then she stabbed me in the hand with her gathering tool. It stung. I shook my hand, flames falling as I did from my Incinerate Plasmid. The little... wow. I felt a bit better. I guess that some Adam got into the blood? Cool. I was able to quiet my arguement with myself.

"It's okay." I told her. "It's fine. I'm going to help you find a new Daddy, okay?" She shook her head, trembling. "No," She said loudly. "No-No!" I sighed. This would take time. I sat with her, among the dead and dying splicers, and dead Daddy, feeling calm, and tried to keep the crazy at bay, focusing on helping the girl.

"Come on!" I heard a raspy voice shouting down the hall. "I swear, I heard a little one yellin'! She wasn't with her Daddy, by the sound of it." Crap. At least two Splicers. I had no way to get the jump on them, and more than one would probably take me in a fight.

Unless... I scooped guts and blood from the formerly gored woman, smearing them over myself, and laid among the corpses, keeping my breathing quiet. The little girl stopped crying, and walked around in circles, whimpering, sniffling, and looking directionless, lost. It was decided. I was going to help her. Then a pair of Splicers walked around the corner.

The first was no problem. She was carrying a lead pipe similar to mine, (only bloodier) and had a vacant look on her deformed face. That face disappeared when she saw the Sister. The other one scared me shitless though.

She was missing her hands and feet, with hooks grafted onto the stumps. The areas around the hook looked infected, like the process hadn't gone well, and were covered in greenish scabs. Her head was pale white, hairless, and looked as if she liked touching her own face... with her hooks. She had countless open wounds bleeding on her face, and even more scars. The only way that I could tell that she was a woman was her voice, talking shrilly, and even then it was close.

"Nothing like two girls on an Adam hunt!" The Hooker (how clever am I?) Yelled, to no one in particular, making me wince slightly while the little Sister yelped and ran, tripping over bodies, and hiding behind her Protector's body. She was too busy trying to shake it, saying, "Mr. B! Get up! MR B!" The last was because the one with a pipe had grabbed her. She was screaming and struggling, stabbing the woman in the arm with her gathering tool.

The woman didn't even flinch. So they were both jacked up on Adam. Helping the Sister wouldn't be easy. But life is like that, sometimes you bite off more than you can chew, sometimes you go up against two drugged up psychopaths with the potential firepower of a small army.

I rose up quietly while the Hooker was judging where to slash open the girl's stomach (so it WAS the stomach) and the other girl was shrieking with glee. I slowly pulled back the hammer on my revolver, hearing the faintest click over the screeches. Just as the Hooker was going to slash in, I put a bullet in the other one's brain-pan. Blood and brain-matter splattered the wall behind her, (over the former layer of blood and brain-matter). The Little Sister struggled free from the dead one's grip, and ran towards me. Then she picked up a Teddy bear five feet in front of me, and sped away from both of us.

I knew where she went well. It was a bar. And it only had one exit.

The other Splicer was registering her friend's death while I figured out where she was going. Then she shrieked, turning on me, eyes red with anger. I quickly shot her with my gun, lodging a bullet in her arm. She barely noticed, and i was out of ammo. I put the gun away, and looked for options. There were none. In the words of a dead man...

"You, my friend, are fucked."


	3. What Good Girls Do

Chapter 3

She jumped, but not at me. She leapt to the ceiling, and I tried to flash cook her with Incinerate!, missing three times. The next time I did it, looking straight at her and snapping my fingers... nothing happened. A puff of smoke from my fingers, a brief spark next to her head, and that was it. Shit. Shit shit shit.

I ran into the bar, looking for anything that might give me a bit of Eve to use. Cigarettes? No, no light. (Cigarette companies started putting Eve in there to give a bit more incentive) who carries a light when you can make your own. I searched the room with my eyes, looking for a hypo, whatever I could find. Then I saw it. It was half empty, in a pool of blood, and next to a very little girl with a very big needle, but it was there.

I grabbed it, jammed it into my arm, (as the Sister was stabbing my leg with her needle) and turned as I pushed down the plunger. I felt it surge into my veins like electricity, and I turned to face the shreiks and screams that were now on the ceiling. I splayed my hand, and started laughing as she screamed, burning with a thought.

Oh, she screamed. She yelled. She ranted. But she died all the same, and I turned to the little girl who had backed away, leaving her needle in my leg. I grimaced, taking it out and handing it to her. She took it hesitantly, eyeing me the whole time. But she took it all the same. I sat down a few feet from her, trying to apply pressure to where she stabbed me.

We were sitting behind the bar, and she was still staring at me with her yellow eyes, so I decided to begin the conversation. "So." I started. "What's your name? I'm John." She kept staring at me, and I started getting uncomfortable with her looking at me. "Name? Zip-Code? Heck, I'll even take your favorite color." "R-r-red." She said. I nodded. "Should I call you Red? Or are you going to tell me your name?" She shook her head. "N-no. N-n-no na-names." Either she was really nervous, or whoever made her a Sister didn't like his or her subjects (or victims) talking.

I smiled after this dark thought. "Well, you can have my name. I'm John." She nodded, and gave a faint smile. I fished around the area behind the bar until I found some medical supplies back there. And a shotgun that I immediately grabbed. I applied the medical kit to my leg wound, (Six armed splicers, and a little girl with a needle does more damage!) Laying the shotgun down beside me. I got up, tested my leg, and decided moving would be smart. I grabbed the shotgun again, and found a few extra rounds in a box on a barstool. I was ready, but how did I get her to come...?

Then I felt a small hand tug my pant-leg. "M-m-mr. J.?" I looked at her. "Mr. B. Won't play with me any more. Will you?" I smiled. "Sure thing Red. So, what do you want to do first?" She smiled. "All good girls Gather, Mr. J!"

Crap.


	4. Mostly Innocent

We started harvesting from the two Splicers that I'd just killed, getting a decent amount from both. I almost couldn't keep my eye off of the gathering tool. It was filled almost to the brim with Adam-infused blood. Despite the gross idea of Adam infused blood, I wanted to inject it into my bloodstream. I could get a nice Electro-bolt, maybe a Teleport. Maybe upgrade my Incinerate!. But it was her Adam, and she'd do with it what she would.

I was able to rob the corpses around the former Mr. B and get myself some ammo for my pistol and shotgun, as well as pick up a Tommy-gun. I slung it over my shoulder by a convenient little strip of rope, and I held the shotgun, placing my revolver into its holster. I put all the ammo that I could into each gun, and any extra into my coat's pockets.

I held the shotgun at the ready, and let my plasmid settle down. I didn't have much Eve left to operate on. That would be my next priority. Then I saw Red skip ahead of me. "C'mon Mr. J! Angels don't wait for slowpokes." She needed more? Really? I sighed, jogging after her. She was singing a little, and skipping without paying attention to her surroundings. That could easily get the both of us killed.

"Slow up Red! My let's not 100%" she stopped, and stood there, hands on her hips and scolded me. "We're going to find the angels! If you don't keep up, I'll go without you." I shook my head, muttering "fine." She brightened up a lot then, and continued skipping, only humming now. I jogged after her as best as I could, but I could feel some warm blood sliding down my leg from the stabbing pain in my leg.

She came across a man with a huge cyst on the side of his face, and blood scattered around him, and a spear through his gut. She pointed at the spear. "Get it!" I tore it out, freeing some fresh blood. She jabbed her tool into his chest, just under the rib cage, swiftly and smoothly. It was a well practiced move. When she was done, she unscrewed the top of the vial on her tool, and I could smell the Adam in the vial. She drank about three quarters before offering the rest to me. My hand reached out without my consent.

The tool was in my hand, the vial raised to my lips, and the crazed part of my brain was screaming for it, begging for it, crying for it... and the sane part of my head didn't care enough to stop it. Then the part of my head, the not quite logical, but not quite insane part, the... protective part spoke up.

"If you take that, your dependency will grow. If it gets high enough, you'll attack her. You want to protect her. You will protect her, or you'll devolve into that Adam addled state of mind." I shook my head, and stretched the tool back towards her. I felt physical pain, being so close but so far to the stuff. She looked troubled by this. "I don't need it." I reassured her, (and myself).

When she nodded, backing off and smiling as she chugged the rest of the blood and Adam cocktail. She let out a little burp afterwards, and looked at me pointedly afterward. I noticed a few seconds later.

"What? What is it? Oh... Excuse you." She smiled, and started skipping off again, singing about Angels, and Adam, and how she was a _good_ girl. I smiled. Even after the alterations and tortures, scares and close calls that a Little Sister goes through daily, her innocence remained.

Then she stabbed another corpse in the gut.

Well... MOST of her innocence remained.


	5. Christine

Chapter 5

I tucked her into a bed in an abandoned apartment complex. She snuggled in, falling right to sleep, and I collapsed into a chair, having a staring contest with the Adam in her needle.

I need some... to keep her safe. If I don't keep her away from the splicers, she won't make it.  
And if you take that Adam, you'll get even more addicted, and kill her.  
Is that really a problem if she doesn't live that long?  
Yes. Yes it is. No matter what happens, you don't want that on your conscience.  
But I need it. What if I just rip into her stomach, take the Adam. Then she'll be dead, and you won't have to worry about her, or the Splicers!  
If you do that, you won't be able to live with yourself.  
You won't, but I will.  
There's no difference! You don't even really exist!  
Yes I do. I'm in control right now, not you.  
No, no you're not.  
Yes. I. AM!

I bashed myself in the head with the pipe, my pipe coming away with some blood and skin, but my bones not quite breaking (go Fortitude tonic). But they were close. And I was in trouble. Then I stopped suddenly.

See?! I'm in control! Now go get the Adam! Bash her head in! Rip into her stomach! TAKE THE ADAM!  
No. You have limited control. I'm not doing it though.  
Fine. I'll come back tomorrow. When you're in full withdrawl. You as excited as me to taste the Adam?

Then I felt the mad part of my head quiet down. But I was scared. I might not be able to deal with the withdrawl. And if I can't then Red's in trouble. And if I put Red in trouble... I'd never forgive myself. At least, whenever I was lucid I'd never forgive myself.

While I tried to ignore these thoughts, I simultaneously tried to conjure the thoughts of my family... I vaguely remembered catch... playing catch with a little boy. And a kiss... an embrace, my heart fluttering with every one... and the tax-man coming for us, as I struggled to make ends meet, keeping the toll that it had on me hidden. I was a structural engineer, and a damned good one, but work was scarce for me.

And... I took this job offer, helping to design these halls and corridors, and all of the corruption inside. I stayed here, at Ryan's own request, to design bigger, grander, greater places for Rapture to go. And the money was flowing, so I sent it to my family, knowing that the time I would've spent with them would be useless if I couldn't supply for them. As I did this, the stress got to me, even worse then it was when everything under the sun was my problem. Now it was everything under the sea, and...

I spliced. A lot.

A lot of the money that I would've given them was blown on the Adam, the Plasmids, the Tonics. But even if the river of money became a stream, and the stream a trickle, my wife sent me letters of simple concern, that she didn't know where the money was going. She said that the loads of money from earlier could sustain them for a while. She hadn't spent it. Christine was always a smart gir-

Christine! I shot to my feet, (Not easy to do from a laying position) and enjoyed the flood of memories. Our meeting... how we instantly hit it off... how I was to shy to kiss her on the first date... how she couldn't wait any more, kissing me at the start of the second...

I smiled, tears coming to my eyes, and I sat in an old worn out chair in an old worn out apartment. And I cried. She had been the best part of my life since I'd met her. And I remembered her again.

I was still happily weeping when a bleary-eyed Red woke up, and asked, "Is it time to gather, Mr. J?"

Happily and quietly I said, "No, Red. You can go back to sleep." She smiled sleepily, and drifted away, muttering that she was a _GOOD_ girl.

I smiled. "Yeah. You are." Then I laid back on the floor, drifting off to sleep as I happily thought of Christine.


	6. I Take a Tumble

Chapter 6

I got up, tried to get as ready for the day as I could, eating half of an uneaten candy-bar. I was about to offer some to Red when I noticed something important. She wasn't here.

No... Nonono! Now how do I take her Adam? Maybe find another girl? Tie her down while I carve into her stomach? take the slug and eat it? Should I cook it first? Would it taste better? Maybe with some salt? No, you idiot. Slugs hate salt. Then just pepper. I could easily go into a restaurant, get some. Then, like I said, tear open the sto-No! Christine!Think of Christine! Just holding her, feeling the warmth of her body hugging yours, the feelings you got around her... I sighed. Content, yet saddened at the same time. I haven't seen her in a year, and haven't contacted her in a few months. But I had some more immediate concerns... Where was Red?

My question was answered moments later when I heard a scream from a nearby area. A little girl's screaming. I opened the door, charging out to find a mob of Splicers charging at a Big Daddy, only to be shot by the living diving suit's rivet gun. He backhanded a few while they charged up. I was feeling over-protective and irrational. So I charged the other Splicers, the first one I got to, a large man, I immediately lit on fire, using the Adrenaline that was flowing through my veins in place of Eve. The next one I saw, a small, quick fellow was quickly brained by my pipe. I dropped the pipe, taking my shotgun from the strap on my shoulder that it was hanging by, pulping a woman's face as she screamed for Adam.

I went on like this for a while. When I finally reached the Big Daddy, he was out of ammo and laying on his side. He held a hand in front of him, to fend me off, as he propped himself up in front of Red. His visor turned a weak red when he looked right at me. I nodded to him, and turned. There was still a mob in front of me, looking at me confused, and standing rather far off. I yelled, "COME ON!"

And they did. Lord, did they come. I squeezed the last of the power that I could from Incinerate!, watching as the man I hit went wild, running into others, and lighting them aflame as well. Only a few had the brains to jump into some water. Then turned to my shotgun, blasting into the crowd indiscriminately. Most were down by the time that I was out of ammo. I drew my pistol, and lined up good shots, with only two left by the time they got to me.

The first one, a man so big he made the others look as big and threatening as a puppy, swung at me with humongous, rippling, and veined muscles, and a hand so big it must've been genetic tampering. Some Adam overload or something. I didn't care. He backhanded me, and I hit a Circus of Values machine, the metal breaking, and wrapping around me. I was mainly okay, but at least one of my ribs was cracked. Fortitude Tonic, I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

The huge Splicer grabbed the Big Daddy's arm, pulling him to his feet, only to punch him in the gut, where his armor seemed damaged. The Big Daddy fell again, and the big Splicer's hand was all cut up from the armor. I heard the little girl scream, and made a split-second decision. I ran for the huge Splicer, who'd just brought the Daddy to his feet again and was winding up, sucking my breath in against the searing pain in my ribs. I jumped on the Brute Splicer's back, and put my hand over his face, mentally activating Incinerate! I couldn't light things up now, but my hand still got as hot as a furnace for whoever was unlucky enough to touch it. As the Splicer screamed, I yelled to the Rosie Big Daddy. "SAVE HER! GO!" He lumbered off slowly, probably badly injured, but he was still a Daddy. He'd take care of that runt of a Splicer.

I was more worried with the Splicer that was now running wildly, trying to rip me from his back, rather then my hand from his face. Genius. But he was still one tough son of a bitch. He started yelling about how he'd rip my arms off and then feed them to me, the 'spicy' one first. I pressed harder, and tried to make my hand burn hotter, but I was running out of energy. As my hand started losing heat, the Splicer found one of my legs, grabbed it, and hurled me across the room.

I hit a window. The window started cracking, spider-webbing a lot. Then I pulled myself to my feet. Then I saw the Brute gearing up for a charge. I looked at the Brute, then the window behind me, and said, "Shit." But I didn't move. I was too burnt out. I sighed, and closed my eyes. The guy was faster, stronger, and didn't just fight a horde of Splicers. At least Red was safe.

"My FACE! You _RUINED _my _FACE!" _Oh, and he was pissed off at me for ruining his face. I smiled, and said without looking, "Honestly man? I think it's an improvement." He yelled, and I could hear his thundering footsteps. Then there was a big "Ooof!" sound. I opened my eyes to see the Rosie holding the Brute in a headlock, and a happy Little Sister on his shoulder. The Rosie quickly snapped the Brute's neck, and lumbered unsteadily over to me. His visor turned from its weak red, to a sickly yellow, to a surprisingly vibrant green. He clapped me on the back, and I fell to my knees, laughing through the pain in my ribs. Red must've seen me holding my ribs, and dropped down to inject her Adam into my chest.

I waved her off. "No... no Red. I'm trying to kick the stuff..." Then I heard a giggling girl's voice. "Who's Red?" I turned to look at the girl, and all that I could say before passing out was...

"Not you."


	7. Easy Targets

Chapter 7

I woke up slung over the shoulder of a moaning Rosie. My ribs hurt like a bitch, and my head was throbbing a little. I tried pushing myself off of the Daddy, but Red... no, not Red... another sister sat on the opposite shoulder, telling me to "Shush!" With her finger on her lips, giggling through it.

"Daddy says that we need to be quiet." She whispered. Then I noticed how the Daddy was walking. It... it wasn't good. He was walking with exceedingly light feet, and very slowly. That meant that he didn't think he could take any Splicers. I shook my head, and finally dropped to the ground. I clapped the Daddy on the back, and nodded to the Sister. I started walking off, when I heard a soft, whale-like moan from the Daddy. It sounded worried... maybe even scared. I stood still for a while. Then, shaking my head again, I turned back to the Daddy, walking up to him.

"Fine! But you're helping me find Red afterwards!" He nodded clumsily, which had to be tough in his suit, and moaned an agreement. I shook my head, and walked beside him. I had two empty guns, and no Eve. Well, maybe I still had some ammo for my pistol and shotgun _somewhere_. How useful I'd be. We walked for a good fifteen minutes, still trying to be stealthy with a walking, two ton tank. But if he wanted to be cautious, who was I to judge?

I needed something to make me more useful. So I kept looking for ammo, money, and vending machines. I didn't find much, until we passed a vending machine that was hashed in, and destroyed. I realized that it was the one that I'd been thrown into earlier, by the huge Splicer. It hadn't been looted yet, so I grabbed everything that I could; I stuffed cash into my wallet for later, loaded my shotgun, my pistol, and stored my extra ammo in a bag that I found nearby. I shot some Eve into my arm, and laughed as flames danced across my hand again. It felt good, familiar. I threw the three other Eve Hypos that I found into the bag, as well as about three First Aid Kits. Thank God for the bag... I mean, it's not like I have hammerspace. (AN: Look it up.)

I looked at my friend the Rosie, and his Little Sister. I walked up to them. "What do I call you two?" The sister giggled, and hopped down from the Rosie's shoulder. "I'm Josie, and this, is... MR. BUBBLES!" She said, bursting with excitement. I knelt down beside Josie, and shook her little hand. Mr. B's helmet flashed a yellow warning on the glass, "Don't hurt her, or else." I nodded. Message received. I got up, and stuck my hand out to shake with Mr. B. His hand enveloped mine, just as mine had Josie's. He shook softly though, thankfully not breaking my hand. "Is it O.K. if I call you B? Or Mr. B?" He nodded. "Cool."

We started walking through the leaking halls, killing any Splicers that we found without too much trouble. Mr. B killed a few with his bare hands, leading me to another problem. B didn't have a weapon. We needed to find him one as soon as possible. Or else we'd have some problems.

We sat down for a while, resting, and as Mr. B sat down, clutching his ribs just the same as I did, I remembered the First Aid Kits. Say whatever you want about this hell hole, but modern medicine has nothing on this. I took the First Kit, removing the hypodermic needle from the box, and injected the red stuff into my chest. It wasn't as good for healing as Adam, but it still worked wonders. My ribs ached less and less, until the pain almost completely receded. I touched the area, sucking in a breath. Still tender. I walked over to Mr. B, and handed him a needle. After this, I'd have only one, but I kind of had to give him the needle. It was right, and almost as important, it would extend my life expectancy. So, after this, we'd gather a bit more, and...

There was a cracking sound, and I turned toward it. I saw Mr. B holding a broken needle, the red liquid that was once inside it on the floor. I groaned with frustration, and took the last needle. "Show me where to inject it." He pointed to a little open port for the needle in his arm. I put it in, pushing the plunger down, and I heard him moan in relief. I shook my head.

"You need to be watched almost as much as Josie. You..." The color drained from my face. "Where's Josie?" B got up quickly, searching the room with his gaze, and bellowed. It probably meant "COME BACK" to Josie, but to the Splicers, who were mostly too far gone to think much, it meant 'Easy Target.'


	8. Horrible

Chapter 8

'Easy Target.'

Not exactly us. A Big Daddy, even weaponless, is almost impossible to kill when he doesn't need to worry about defending someone. The Little Sisters were the only reason that the Splicers attacked them, and a few were stupid enough to attack them regardless. These were the ones that came at the Big Daddy with me, and B didn't ake kindly to those who come between him and Josie. The first one that came at him, an insane African man with a length of pipe, was picked up by the head, held by the face. He struggled, hitting B on the arm over and over, in the hopes that he'd let go.

He didn't. Instead, he squeezed, causing the Splicer's head to implode, getting bits of bone and brain matter all over B's hand. I looked at B, and saw his helmet's port-hole. It was a glaring red, and he tossed his head back, roaring savagely as he charged the coming horde of Splicers. He lowered his shoullder, and was an undeniable mass of metal and man, batting Splicers away with one hand, clubbing them with the other, and stomping on those that fell before him. I wanted to jump in, but was unsure if he'd kill me in his blind rage. Instead, I pulled out my pistol, carefully shooting the Splicers that searched the fringes of the room for Josie. I kept picking them off until one yelled out, "I HAVE HER! I GOT HER!" He yanked on th pony-tail that Josie wore, and pulled a screaming Josie out from behind a big plank of wood. I was about to run at the charging horde when I saw him shoot Josie in the arm with a revolver, for no apparent reason. I heard B yell again. This roar made his last one look like a whimper. The very room shook as he charged through the crowd around him, batting Splicers away, running them over, and cutting a path right through the crowd.

He grabbed the man by either arm, who tried to shoot B a few times. B ignored this, simply rippig both of his arms out, taking the shoulder with it on one. The now unarmed man (get it?) was screaming as he fell to the ground, writhing in the pool of blood like a fish out of water. Mr. B simply stomped on his head, roaring again. He picked Josie up, putting her on his shoulder, where she yelled at the crowd that, and I quote, "Daddy has enough for all of you!" It sounded like she was talking about a pimp or something, but as the crowdcondensed, running at them, many slipping on what was left of half of the original crowd, I let loose with the biggest Incinerate! explosion I've ever made. The very center of the crowd was killed instantly, as the rest were lit on fire, running off, scattering to tend to their wounds. I nodded to B and Josie as I fell down, spent, and B ran to my side, holding me up as gingerly as he could.

I looked at his visor, which was now a brilliant green, and he nodded back. I laughed, as this looked rather ridiculous. Josie climbed down from B's shoulder, and tugged on his arm a little. "I'm tired Daddy. can I go to dreamtime now?" I said, "I'll join you." B made a simple roaring noise, and I looked up to him again, and his green visor flashed red for a second. I... RED! I immediately found the strength to stand on my own, as I stumbled over to where I'd left the bag. I opened up one of the med-kits, and pulled out a needle. Adrenalin. I plunged the drug into my arm, as I let it make me more alert. I shook my head, and picked up the bag. I tried to stumble back to where Red was last.

About halfway there, I injected myself with some Eve, and that made me even more alert. I must've burned through a lot of energy letting loose that much Incinerate! I went to a nearby vending machine, buying a few Pep Bars, eating the chocolate/protein bars. I felt good enough to walk withouta stumble then, and walked back to the room where I'd last seen Red. She was gathering from a corpse that I didn't remember being there, but she was there. I ran up to her, trying to hug her, but...

I couldn't bring myself to touch her. What if I had a relapse and hurt her? She had turned, and looked at me with her glowing yellow eyes, not quite understanding what I was doing. Finally, I found the courage to touch her. I reached out, trying to brush her cheek...

My hand went through, and the halucination dissapeared. The body, the needle... the girl... I fell to my knees, crying. I couldn't... I didn't protect her. I failed. I was a horrible person, a horrible husband, and a horrible father. what good would I do as a protector. Tears flowed freely, and I felt a small hand grab my right. I turned to see a little girl, grabbing my hand tentatively. "Mr. J? Why are you crying?" She carried a still bloody needle.

And it wasn't Josie.


	9. Infighting

Chapter 9

"Red!" I yelled this, not caring who or what heard as B lumbered in with Josie. I pulled her into a hug, even as she yelped. She struggled a little, and I let her go. "I'm sorry Red, so sorry. I didn't mean to lose you. Where did you go?" She looked confused.

"I went to a Hidey Hole. That's where all good girls wait to be picked up for Gathering." I shook my head. "Of course. I'm sorry. So sorry Red. Can you forgive me?" **And maybe give me some Adam?** "No. Not now..."

"**Yes. When else would I come back? Do you think that I'm stupid enough to attack a Daddy's Sister?** I was kind of hoping that you were gone. **And where would you be without me?** Back home with my family. **You don't know that.** I kind of do. I had gotten to a Bathysphere, unlocked the thing, when a Sister walked by. You made me attack her and take her Adam. It was gone when I came back. **Shut up! You enjoyed it and you know it!** I did, but now I want to be better! **BETTER? IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER FOR A SICKO LIKE YOU! Like US!**"

I said all of this out loud, and started to shudder and convulse as I fell over onto the ground. I used everything at my disposal, thought of Christine, the Fortitude Tonic, and tried to remember my son's name. I felt myself losing it. I yelled, screamed, and before I lost it totally, I yelled to B.

"B! Hold me back! Don't let me near the girls!" He looked confused, but must've realized the shudders and screams were a sign of my Adam withdrawal. With a yellow visor, he grabbed each of my arms and put me against a wall. His visor was right in my face as I lost it.

**And I took control. I wriggled, I writhed, I spat, I screamed, but Mr. B held me fast. I looked past him, staring at the sisters huddled behind me, one yawning, not seeming worried, and the other seemed scared, looking alert and freaked. She asked Mr. B why 'Mr. J' was acting this way. everyone knows that there is no J. There's only Adam. I smiled at her, and she hid behind the behemoth, crying quietly. The other girl yawned loudly, and asked when they could get to a Hidey Hole. Stupid girl. She'll attract Splicers, then there'll be nothing left for me.**

Is that all that you care about? Getting your fix!? **No. I care about survival, something you clearly no longer want.** Shut up. I'm really tired of this shit. **You're kidding me! You can't take being in the passengers' seat, can you John? You're a little hypocritical wuss, you know that? **Whatever. Enjoy throwing away your humanity. **No, I'm throwing away yours. It's your fault if you can't control me.**"

**This was said out loud as well, and B looked confused. With his confusion, came a slackening of his grip. But it wasn't enough. So I spat on his visor, and this time he wiped it off, letting go of my right arm. So, obviously, I threw some fire in his face. He let go, as he was still a human, barely, and still instinctively avoided what he knew would hurt. He backed away as I scrambled to get to my guns.** MY guns. **Whatever. ****I grabbed the shotgun, and hit him in the gut just as he turned. He took the smallest step back. His visor turned redder then a matador's cape, and, keeping with the metaphor, the bull charged.**

**"Shit." **What are you talking about? You're about to get your ass whooped. And I get a front row seat. **Shut it, ass-hole. I can take him.** Not with me fighting you.** Good luck, ass-hole. **I know you are but what am I? **Really? You're an idiot.** And you just let yourself get distracted. Who's the ass now?

B grabbed us by the leg and threw us across the room. We hit a sturdy 'glass' wall, and we cried out in pain. We'd dropped our guns on the... the 'flight' over here. We held up a hand and told B to "Stop!" And that, "I'm myself again." **But I lied.**

**He gave me a hand, to help me up, when John, bastard that he is, yelled out, "Look out! I've got a plasmid!" B pulled back his hand even as I threw flames again. But this time, he stood his ground. He didn't wait for me to stop the stream of ineffectual flames, but reached through them, crushing my burning hand in his grasp. I screamed, and-**

And the pain brought clarity, I was able to seize control again. I shook my head so hard that I thought that I dislodged something. My head hurt, but felt like butterfly kisses or some crap when compared to my hand. B looked ready to bring a two-fisted smackdown to me, special delivery, when Red screamed, "WAIT!"

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AN: Wish I'd done the dark text thing the whole way through for Adam, but I'm not going back for it now. Please review, etc., and everything authors say to milk reactions from viewers/readers.


	10. The Final Tumble

Chapter 10

B paused for a second, and I started shaking, muttering, "Christine... Christine... Christine...", trying to avoid blacking out. I reached for the last med-kit, only to remember that I gave it to B. Red ran up to me with her needle, looking ready to inject, and I had to mutter to her, rather weakly, "No... I need a Med-Kit. No Adam." Red ran off then, and I tried to yell after her. Josie ran after her, and guilt struck me. I was shaking and crying, telling myself that I just got two little girls killed. B stood over me, his visor yellow with caution. I didn't care. I was too busy trying to stop breathing, to kill myself for getting Red and Josie killed. Sure it was stupid, not even knowing if they were okay, but I wanted to die, knowing that I may have killed the ones I wanted to protect.

A little hand smacked me in the face, and I looked up to see Josie with her hands on her hips, and Red handing a med-pack off. She gave it to the 'responsible adult' Mr. B, who carefully worked the needle out of the case and into his hand. He put the needle into my skin, and pushed the plunger down. The needle broke before any of the stuff got into my bloodstream. Josie laughed, scolding B for being clumsy, while Red freaked.

"Mr. B! Mr. J. needed that! He's really hurt!" She stomped her foot angrily, and I laughed, seeing how such a little girl was able to cow such a huge man. Mr. B. moaned something, and Josie started hopping up and down. "Yeah Mr. B! We can get another one!" She was so excited, she grabbed my hand and pulled, trying to drag me. By my injured hand.

I screamed for a good ten seconds after she let go. It hurt like a bitch, and my vision flashed red for a second. I didn't think that was possible, but it happened. I was crying like a baby. Except _slightly_ more manly. Slightly. I shuddered and shook, just able to put my good hand under me and stand. I trembled so badly, it was a wonder that I didn't fall over. I kept up, if just barely. heard a splicer behind me, freaking out, and I turned to see him run at me. I backed up slowly, uselessly. B stepped in front of me, picking up the freak by the head and squeezing until chunks of brain flew out.

I had no clue how far we'd gone, but I saw us getting near Fontaine Fisheries. Spider Splicers liked hanging here. I kept searching our surroundings, jumping at the least sound. Red came back to hold my hand, so I put my good one over hers.

**I need some Adam!** Shut UP! Do you really want to take control _now_? **No. I wanted to scare the shit out of you. **I swear to God... **Ha! Good one. Rapture isn't the place for God.** He was right. We were just now passing a burned corpse, pinned to the wall, a crate of bibles beneath him, and the words 'SMUGGLERS are PARASITES' written around it. I shook my head, suppressing Adam for now.

"Look Mr. B!" Shouted Josie. "A Vita Chamber! Can Mr. J. use that?" B just shook his head. I wasn't looking at the Vita Chamber. I was looking at the man stepping out. His eyes opened and he yawned, but when he saw B, he immediately became alert, reaching for one of the many guns on his back, and into one of his huge ammo bags, pulling an armor-piercing shotgun shell.

I was muttering how this was impossible, how Ryan was the only one that could use those, as Red screamed, "MR. BUBBLES! MR. BUBBLES WATCH OUT!" Mr. B's visor immediately turned red as a shotgun's buckshot hit him in the chest. He took a stutter step back, then charged. I stood, dumbstruck, as the man from the Vita Chamber was punched across the room, and got up with nothing more then a determined look. He slung the shotgun back on his back, replacing it with what looked like a missile launcher. B charged again, yelling his strange battle cry, and as his hand closed around the missile launcher, he was blasted away by its explosion.

Somehow, B held onto the launcher as he fell back a few feet, and aimed it at the man when he got to his feet. He shot it, as the man yelled "Oh, shit!" and the man exploded. B turned back to Josie, to be sure that she was okay. I smiled, seeing that he'd won. I was about to run up to him, or try to, when I heard a sound like electricity crackle. I turned to see the Vita Chamber arranging the molecules, and the man stepped out again, chambering a round into his shotgun and shooting. The buckshot electrocuted B, and the man took out a wrench, walking around to the front of my friend, and saying, "Goodnight, big boy." He then bashed in the glass, a pink liquid pouring out, as B seemed to struggle for breath.

**So that's how they don't get crushed by the pressure outside the walls.** I stood stock still as Josie yelled out, "Mr. B!" and drove her needle into the man's leg. The man grunted, picking up the little girl, and put his hand on top of her head as she struggled. She stopped struggling, and started coughing out glowing, Adam-infused blood as white lines covered her skin, branching and reaching each other. She dropped to the girl, grabbed her needle, and ran to a nearby hidey-hole, climbing up and scrambling in.

I grabbed Red's hand and pulled her behing a collapsed pile of rubble. I peeked over it to see the man make eye-contact, then walk off. When he was gone, I ran up to B, st by his side, and watched my new friend gasp and grunt, trying to breathe oxygen after that pink stuff had become the norm for his body. I helped Red into the same Hidey Hole that Josie had hopped into, and sat by my friend, trying to mutter encouraging things to him, trying to keep him conscious.

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AN: Someone asked for him, and there he was. Jack. Okay, so I'm unsure about this. Should I kill B off? I'm on the fence, as he's a cool character, and I like him, but I can't think of any way other to advance the story. Either leave a review or a PM telling me what you think. And if I hear one thing about 'Jack should've fought Delta', I swear to God, I'll end the story here. As a matter of fact, I might do that anyway, and start a sequel.


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